Free Donut Day
by Sable Aegean
Summary: A fluffy little AU in which Dan is an overworked bartender and Phil is a gas station cashier with a load of stale donuts on his hands.


Phil had never been known to steal before the donuts. The FDA said that the donuts were stale and couldn't be sold after 1am. Phil said screw that and started stuffing donuts in his backpack half past midnight. Nobody ever stopped by the decrepit gas station convenience store anyway, so dozens of donuts went into the trash every day. He had a stash at his house, and his friends Chris and Hazel came over every Wednesday and raided it. Phil didn't even like donuts that much (he preferred cupcakes), but he couldn't just throw them out! They were donuts! And was it technically stealing when the were going in the rubbish bins anyway? He liked to think of himself as Robin Hood stealing from the rich (the god-awful dumpster out back) and giving to the poor (the stomachs of himself and his friends). Tonight, he was already wrapping donuts up to take home (Strawberry frosted for himself, jelly filled for Hazel, and powdered for Chris) when the bell over the front door rang. A young man around his age walked in. He'd had curly dark hair, hazel eyes with bags under them, and a lanky figure that seemed to be almost taller that Phil's. He wore a uniform that Phil was pretty sure was from TGI Friday's and was staring at Phil quizzically. Phil then realized he had a whole tray of donuts out and his backpack at his feet.

"This...looks bad..." He tried.

The man laughed and Phil felt his face flush red.

"It does." He replied with a smirk.

"Well, ya see," Phil started, "It's free donut day and nobody was buying and-" Phil realized he was still holding the donuts and dumped them back on the tray and shoved the tray back into the heated display case. The man glanced at his watch.

"It hasn't been free donut day for about 45 minutes now," He squinted at Phil's name tag, "Pill."  
Phil wanted curl up into a ball and hide. He'd met a cute boy while stealing donuts from his job!

"It's Phil-the nametag-they screwed it up-"

"I get it." The boy showed Phil his own nametag. "The name's Dan, not Dean." He explained, a crooked smile playing on his lips. They snickered over that, and for a moment they both forgot why they were there.  
"Oh, um" Dan pulled out his wallet, "I have to pay for gas and two coffees-"

"Yeah-yeah sure" Phil rung him up with a slight deflation in his mood. Two coffees ment there was someone else he was buying for. Or maybe he just need a caffeine high.  
Dan grabbed his coffee and headed for the door.

"I'll see you around?" He asked.

"Yeah, I hope." Phil tried. He remembered the donuts. "Want a free donut?" he offered.

Dan laughed. "Sure!"

"What kind?" Phil made his way towards the display case, giddy with the small victory of having his offer accepted.

"Chocolate with sprinkles."  
Phil didn't meet Dan's eyes as he handed him the bag. They exchanged thank yous and you're welcomes and goodbyes and Dan was almost out the door when he turned back again.

"By the way, that's a lot of strawberry frosted in your bag."

"Ack-I-" Phil sputtered.

"Goodniiiight!" And Dan was gone.

* * *

 **Dan handed his friend Louise her coffee as he got in the car.  
"I met the cutest cashier in there-"  
"What's in the bag?" Louise glanced at the paper bag.  
"Oh it's a free donut. See, the cashier-" Louise raised a hand to stop him.  
"Wait, you were offered free donuts and you didn't get me one?"**

* * *

 **Phil's giddiness was more apparent than he thought when his manager, PJ, stared at him with a quizzical expression as Phil wiped down the countertop.  
"You're whistling." PJ commented.  
Phil hadn't realized he'd been whistling.  
"So?" he asked.  
"You're working at a gas station at 11pm on a Friday. What could you possibly be whistling for?"  
"Oh, I'm just in a good mood." Phil couldn't help smiling as he talked.  
"Whatever you say, just keep that good mood up for the next 8 hours."  
"You got it, Boss!"  
PJ just looked at him before returning to his usual hideout in the break room, since there was never really anything for him to manage, Phil continued to whistle in hopes that his favorite (only) customer would arrive.**

* * *

 **Phil was getting anxious as the wall clock sputtered towards 1:00am. He chided himself for expecting Dan to return in the first place.**

 **I don't know his schedule, and he's never even been in before, it was probably just a one-off thing...but he said "I'll see ya around?" like he wanted to come back so maybe he's just running late, or maybe he-**

 **Phil's thoughts were interrupted by the ring of the bell over the front door. A disheveled Dan shuffled through the door and slid his back down the glass wall. Phil rounded the counter and bounded over. He started to speak but Dan raised a hand to silence him.  
"Just-" He yawned, "Just give me a sec." He took a deep breath. "Okay. Hey." He smiled at Phil.  
"Are you okay?" Phil asked.  
"Yeah, I think. So how are you?"  
"Just great!" He helped Dan up.  
"So two coffees and a donut?" Phil asked, heading back to the counter.  
"Yeah."  
"If you don't mind me asking, whose the second one for?" Phil didn't want to keep up his fantasy if Dan was with someone.  
"Oh, my roomate Louise, she drives us home from work." Dan explained, his gaze floating.  
"Oh, I probably shouldn't keep you then.."  
"No no! It's fine. She's probably on the phone with her boyfriend. Besides, I like talking to you." This time Dan was the one turning red.  
Phil finished wrapping up Dan's donut and held it out to him without meeting his eyes. Dan started to hungrily unwrap it rigt there.  
"Um no-I mean, shouldn't you wait to open it later-" Phil mentally slapped himself for even attempting this.  
Dan continued to pull apart the paper "Why should I-" a piece of paper fell out of the wrapper. "Strawberry Frosted" followed by a winking emoji and a phone number. Phil was legitimately ready to lock himself in the store room with only donuts for company. But then Dan smiled and laughed and took out his phone.  
"What are you-" Phil tried.  
"What do you think I'm doing? I was gonna leave my number when I handed you your money." Dan confessed. Phil laughed and that giddy feeling washed over him again.  
Dan gathered his things and headed for the door.  
"Save me a donut tomorrow. And the day after that." and he was gone.**

* * *

Dan's phone buzzed later that night.

 _Coffee?  
_  
Dan laughed.

 _As long as we can get donuts too._


End file.
